The choice of materials - concrete, brick and steel - was as much about durability as it was aesthetics.
“We made the decision very early to go down the path of totally non-combustible materials, including the roof,” Nimmo says.
It meant we were able to retain the trees close to the house that otherwise would have had to be removed.
“There’s no reason why this house won’t be standing in 100 years.”
The ground floor is a concrete slab on piers. On the downside of the slope, the edge of the slab wraps around exposed sandstone outcrops and kinks outwards at its northern end to create a large, open verandah space. (This kink is mirrored on the first-floor slab, creating a similar open space.) The corners of the slabs are rounded to soften their visual impact.
The roof is also concrete - for the most part flat, but in one particular section (over the central breezeway and adjoining enclosed spaces) folding upwards to mirror the angle of the ground slope. Taking full advantage of the extra ceiling height created by this sloping roof section, a narrow strip of glazing has been installed at the top of the adjoining wall to open up the bush views from within the living area.
“It also helps with ventilation, but really it’s about the view,” Nimmo says.
“Our views are all about looking through the trees, rather than over them. The idea of the sloping roof section was to expose the view behind us, which is probably the nicest.”